HD HTPC-100IntroductionHD HTPC-100 is a big brother of HD HTPC-1 although both devices share the same software HTPC-100 features larger case and more powerful hardware components. HD HTPC-100 can hold up to 6 hard drives, has a faster CPU and video card making it more suitable for pc gaming and video processing. HD HTPC presents a unique combination of software and hardware controlled by a custom built application that integrates advantages of many solutions into a high quality entertainment system we were all waiting for. This easy to use, reliable and silent performer sets a new benchmark for all HTPCs.. Outside HD HTPC-100 uses a case manufactured by SilverStone. The photo below should provide you with a good idea of what the SilverStone case looks like and why it's obviously suited as a HTPC case.
HD HTPC-100 case is made out of aluminium, which makes it very light and helps with heat dissipation. The lower front panel compartment houses the 52-in-1 card reader and USB and FireWire connections.
At the back you fill find: mouse and keyboard ports, 8 USB ports (in addition to the 2 ports on the front panel), 2 FireWire ports (in addition to the single firewire port on the front panel), network socket, 2 DVI outputs, antenna socket and video input, audio outputs (4 dual channel analogue + spdif) and audio inputs (2 dual channel analogue + spdif). We were pleasantly surprised to find additional accessories and high quality connecting cables included with HD HTPC-100. Both Logitech diNovo Mini Bluetooth Keyboard and Harmony 785 Remote Control are great additions making this system even more convenient to use. It took some time to learn all combinations of buttons required to invoke certain features on the keyboard but overall its compact size, excellent wireless range and protective lid make it a desirable HTPC input device.
To take a full advantage of the features provided by the included universal control you need to upload IR commands for other audio/video devices you may have and wish to control. Inside To open the case you need to remove 10 screws holding the top panel down.
Towards the front of the case you will find the central 5.25" drive bay and two separate 3.5" drive bay cages each side. Both of these 3.5" cages are removable and can hold up to 3 had disk drives each. Unlike in HD HTPC-1 installing 6 hard disk drives in HD HTPC-100 is very easy. A lot of attention was given to the cooling system ensuring high efficiency while maintaining almost silent operation. It is hard not to notice the neat and tidy cable routing and overall quality of assembly. User Experience What sets HD HTPC series apart from other HTPC products is not only the quality of hardware and software but also the ease of installation and use. HD HTPC-100 is ready to use right out of the box, all we had to do is to connect it all together and push the power button. No hardware or software configurations were required and when the control screen appeared we were surprised how simple it was to use.
You will not find any useless features or confusing buttons, HD HTPC-100 has a simple and functional interface developed especially for this system. If you have an Internet connection hooked up to the system, it will download updated information about the show you are watching and what is coming up. If you wish to backup your discs on the hard drive for convenient and quick access you can do it with a couple of clicks. Managing your favourite movies with the included media database is quick and effective, you will be able to locate your favourite movie and start the playback within less than one minute.
The built in media database allows you to specify many parameters including which application should be used for playback and which files should be shared via the streaming server. You can also include picture of a cover and short description for each media file. To make the management even easier you can start a remote desktop session from any other computer connected to the same network as your HD HTPC-100 and use a scaled down version of the user interface to make any changes you wish. More over if your router has a static IP or dynamic DNS support you can log into your HD HTPC-100 over the internet to control your HD TV recording schedule!
You can also store all your CDs on the hard drives using lossless encoders and play them back via digital sound processor that extends the stereo signal into all of the surround speakers. Our audiophile friends were very impressed with the audio quality of HD HTPC-100 stating that “this system has no audible interferences or distortions delivering very clear and dynamic sound”. More over you don’t have to buy expensive external decoders to enjoy the new HD audio formats. HD HTPC-100 will take care of the audio decoding and pass analogue signals to your multi-channel receiver. If you have multiple TVs in your house you can stream the movies over the network to another computer or a game console (eg XBOX 360). All you have to do is to enable the media streaming server and ensure that the files you wish to stream are in one of the supported formats. You can also rely on the powerful quad core processor to trans-code the media files in real-time allowing you to stream high definition video files without any prior conversions. Normal users will find HD HTPC-100 simple and friendly whilst computer enthusiasts will be excited to uncover all of the advanced features and settings. Specifications Hardware:
Sheer convenience and pure luxury delivering a true High Definition experience HD HTPC-100 is even more powerful than HD HTPC-1 giving the user not only an excellent home theatre pc but also a powerful computer for gaming and video editing. |
